Old Glory

Old Glory is a random encounter in Tales from the Tiers.

Transcript
An uneventful day on the road is interrupted by a loud cry. An old man, dirt-encrusted and wild-eyed, dressed in little more than tattered rags, emerges from the brush, charging feebly towards you with a sword held high. "For Apex!" His sandals catch a tree root, sending him tumbling into the dirt. His brittle blade strikes the ground first, snapping in two. He clutches his ribs and whispers a low groan, laying on the ground for an uncomfortably long time. His moans give way to rhythmic, heavy breathing, and just as you step forward to determine if the old man has fallen asleep, he picks himself up, wagging the useless blade at you. "The day is ours, dogs of Kyros!" The man continues to ramble, and it soon becomes clear that he believes himself late for the first battle of Apex. He is correct, in a sense - the battle was waged over two years ago. Blissfully unaware of his kinsmen's failure, he demands your surrender before generously offering to settle for a mere ransom. Kill the man. Convince him that you're not an enemy, and give him some rings. Disarm him and spare his life. Convince him to wage war against Graven Ashe. Convince him to wage war against Nerat. Convince him that the true battle is with Tunon. He continues to rattle off a series of demands and is taken by surprise when you strike him in the face, sending him to the ground once again. As he paws about the dirt in confusion, you pick up the remaining half of his sword and run the jagged blade across his throat. Blood immediately gushes out of his neck in violent spurts, coating the dusty road with a crimson splatter. The old man paws at his throat and hisses, desperate to breath, but cannot sustain the effort for long. In a few moments, he is still. Swallowing your pride, you lower your weapons and explain that you're not a threat. He watches you through narrowed eyes, expecting a ruse, and doesn't lower his blade until you fabricate the story that you're part of a crew of Tiersmen marching to meet Queen Vendrien Alanta's mustering call. He surveys your clothing for a few moments and, not recognizing the emblems of Tunon's Court, finally smiles in relief. You convince him that the Queen's support is significant, and suggest that he return home and leave the fighting to the younger reinforcements already en route. He hesitates, but nods in agreement. As he continues to shout, you calmly reach out and grab the cross-guard of his sword, sliding the weapon out of his loose grip without the old man even noticing. He stops yelling for a moment to catch his breath, only then noticing he's been disarmed. He clutches at his rags, hands darting from one pocket to another, as if the weapon had been mistakenly stowed in one of them. His right hand clutches at something solid, and with a defiant laugh, he brandishes a half-eaten drumstick. Tired of this distraction, you brush past the man and continue down the path. He swings wildly with the drumstick as you pass, incensed by your defiance. It bounces off your shoulder, strips of meat flying from it, and lands unceremoniously in the mud. You ignore his cries and continue on, content to let the old man tire himself out. Eventually, the shouts cease. In its place, you hear the sounds of a confused man ravenously devouring his last morsels of chicken. You wait for the old soldier to finish his lengthy tirade before speaking. As he calms, you assure him that your interests and Apex's are one and the same, insisting the true aggressor is a shared enemy: the rogue Archon. The name 'Graven Ashe' fills the old man with seething rage, and it's all too easy to persuade him to take the fight directly to the Archon's stronghold. You promise him the backing of a thousand Tiersmen and point him towards Iron Hearth, helpfully drawing him a map. He sets off on the road, broken blade in hand, to the Archon's mountain fortress, where hundreds of Graven Ashe's elite await him. You wait for the old soldier to finish his lengthy tirade before speaking. As he calms, you assure him that your interests and Apex's are one and the same, insisting the true aggressor is a shared enemy: the rogue Archon. At the mention of 'the Voices of Nerat' the old man's eyes fill with the promise of glory, and it's all too easy to persuade him to take the fight directly to the Archon's stronghold. You promise him the backing of a thousand Tiersmen and point him towards Cacophony, helpfully drawing him a crude map. He sets off on the road, broken blade in hand, to the Archon's dusty fortress, where hundreds of battle-hardened Chorus soldiers await him. You wait for the old soldier to finish his lengthy tirade before speaking. As he calms, you assure him that your interests and Apex's are one and the same, insisting the true aggressor is a shared enemy: the rogue Archon. You speak at length of the Kyros' puppet 'Tunon' and the man's eyes fill with rage. It's all too easy to persuade him to take the fight straight to the Bastard City. You promise him the back of a thousand Tiersman and sets off down the road, broken blade in hand, to a Court filled with armed Fatebinders. You press some rings into his hands and give him directions to the nearest inn, where he may find hot food, drink, and, most importantly, a warm bath. You find a pouch on his body containing some rings and some old family trinkets. They are the last vestiges of his name, and may fetch a modest price. Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue... Continue...